


Alone With You

by livxuan



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, I Still Don't Know How to Tag These, One Shot, Post-Canon, catra and adore just being cute girlfriends girl idk, that's all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:30:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25440166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livxuan/pseuds/livxuan
Summary: A month passes after their grand victory, and Catra and Adora finally manage to slip away to have a romantic picnic. It's cute.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 73





	Alone With You

**Author's Note:**

> about time i wrote a non-atla fanfic. i've been consumed by she-ra lately, so here's this.

Adora’s hands slowly left Catra’s eyes, cheerfully exclaiming, “Ta-da! We’re here! And I made sure to pack all your favorite stuff, don’t worry.” She smiled to herself, adding, “Pretty perfect spot too, huh?”

Catra took in her surroundings before responding, mouth slightly agape as she did so. She had never imagined that the woods could look like that. It was enchanting- almost as enchanting as Adora. The couple hadn’t had a minute to themselves that wasn’t quickly interrupted by Glimmer needing Adora’s help with some political crap Catra didn’t- nor did she care to- understand, or Scorpia barging in just to tell them that she appreciated them. Accompanied with a hug, of course. Catra was still getting used to those things- with the exception of Adora’s embraces. She liked those. On particularly unlucky days they would even find themselves inches away from a kiss when Swift Wind would make a grand entrance for an ounce of attention, and Catra would be in an awful mood for the rest of the day, grumbling on and on about how close she was. The two of them definitely needed a real date, and Perfuma was tasked with explaining to the ex-soldiers that usually, unlike the definition they were previously taught in their loveless, military adolescence, dates did not consist of simply training one on one for a few hours. Though that was initially a bit disappointing to hear, Catra found this result much more appealing. She couldn’t have imagined a better place to have a date. 

The sun hit the patch of land Adora had chosen magnificently, illuminating the grass and surrounding trees. Flowers she couldn’t name, most likely Perfuma’s contribution to their afternoon, freckled the landscape in the prettiest pinks and purples she had ever seen. The sounds of birds chirping and water dancing down the river harmonized perfectly, a family of butterflies drinking from the flowers, fat with nectar. She couldn’t believe she had spent so much time trying to destroy something so beautiful. Trying to destroy someone so beautiful. The brunette turned to face the blonde, who was laying out, and struggling to straighten, the gingham picnic blanket. Suddenly, the glorious, towering trees circling them became nothing but saplings in the sunlight. She was gorgeous. Per Catra’s request, she had taken her hair out, letting it cascade down to her shoulders. The sunlight highlighted her cheekbones and nose, making her features appear even more angelic than usual. Her sundress was uncharacteristically frivolous, the white ruffles falling just below her knees. Dainty, gold jewelry even decorated her neck and wrists. When they were younger, Adora hated the idea of impractical clothing. But then again, a lot could change in three years. A lot had.

“You’re pretty perfect,” Catra pressed a kiss to Adora’s lips as they sat down. While the princess busied herself with setting everything up, her girlfriend couldn’t help but wonder aloud, “Hey, is this a good idea? What if they need us? Or we get lost or something?”

“If they need us, it's a straight, fifteen minute walk back, we could run it in half the time without trying. We’ll be fine.” Adora raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. “And here I thought being a wet blanket was my job.”

Catra rolled her eyes, letting the other girl get the food out of the basket. Adora had emphasized every aspect of the event was to be a surprise, but Catra had managed to steal a few glances of bread and a cheese platter. And fruit, lots of it. Oh, her hopeless romantic lover, how dearly she adored her and her cliche, but undeniably delicious, food choices. “Oh, it still is, Pumpkin. I just don’t want something bad to happen.” 

She wished she could finish her sentence, but the words refused to come out.  _ I just don’t want something bad to happen and ruin everything I’ve established here. _ Catra bit her lip- she had only been doing this whole turned-a-new-leaf thing for a little over a month. Every step she took was lined with eggshells. One slip up would send her back to square one: alone. Sometimes, when it was late at night and Adora was asleep beside her, she couldn’t help but stare at the empty, black ceiling, wondering if she deserved square one after everything she had done. Wondering if she deserved the sinking void of loneliness, rather than the feeling of her best friend’s arms around her, subconsciously smiling from a dream she’d ramble on about during breakfast.

“Don’t worry about it,” Adora kissed her nose, her soft smile finally ending Catra’s uneasiness. “Bow and Glimmer promised they’d handle anything that came up, and we can enjoy today. We got all the time in the world to save the universe and stuff, okay? We deserve a break before our next big-adventure. Plus, I missed you. I missed being able to be alone with you.”

_ Alone with you. _ She would normally detest the phrase coming from anyone else- Catra often felt most isolated when with company. Sure, the princesses smiled back when she smiled at them, and sure, Scorpia and Entrapta had both said everything was forgiven at least one hundred times, but she couldn’t help but acknowledge how ostracized she was from the rest of them. They were the good guys- not to mention the likable ones- and she was seen as just  _ alright _ . She was She-Ra’s girlfriend, so of course they had to be nice to her. And at her political highest when with the Horde, while she watched them all quiver under her glaring command with faux glee, the post-victory praise felt empty. Forced. They didn’t know her, no one back there did.

But she could never feel alone with Adora. Adora  _ knew _ her. She knew her favorite number and the formula behind all her snarky comments. Even when she fought her, so sure that she would be the one to end Adora’s life and even more certain that she would revel in that success, she was at her least lonesome. There was a certain bond the two had that she could never convince herself out of.  _ Alone with you. _ Catra couldn’t imagine a better person to hear that from, neither could she imagine a better way to spend her days. Even if she didn’t deserve it, even if life just let her get immensely lucky.

Catra finally nodded, grinning. They really were alone together. And it felt great. “Alright, dork, just don’t rub it in and get all dopey on me. So, what’s on the menu?”

“Always got your priorities in order, huh?” The two girls laughed, an underappreciated luxury for most. Not them. They had spent so long unable to enjoy the simple sound of one another’s laugh- Catra’s fiendish and giggly while Adora’s chuckle managed to retain her ever-present smile. Every second they spent laughing together was a second cherished. Almost a month ago, they thought they might never hear those beautiful sounds ever again, but they made it out on the other side. They made it out together. And when it was finally over, they were able to laugh until their ribs ached and their silhouettes had sunk into the grass. You can’t take the so-called small stuff for granted after something like that.

Catra smiled at the girl in front of her, admiring the curve of her lips and sparkle in her laughter. Before she could respond, Adora set out one last dish that made her eyes light up. She clasped her hands together, squealing like a little girl. “Strawberries! You are, without a doubt, the  _ best _ thing that’s ever happened to me, Adora, I could kiss you!”

The blonde grinned, making sure to position the cutlery picture-perfect. Her eyes fluttered up, suggesting, “Well, what’s stopping you?”

Before Adora could continue fretting over silverware, Catra pounced, pinning her to the ground as she kissed every inch of her face, giggling, “Look at you, you sap! You got me acting dopey too! Happy?”

She kissed her lips once more, and Adora’s hand fell to meet the fabric of her strawberry red dress, holding her by the small of her back. She kissed Catra’s cheek before replying, “Immeasurably so.”

Catra didn’t need to tell her she felt the same, her smile said it all. She really was the best thing that ever happened to her. 

The afternoon sun watched them, gracing them with a warmth that could never compare to that of the embrace. For a moment, they just lied there, feeling the grass underneath them. Catra, curled in Adora’s delicate touch, ran her fingers through her blonde locks of hair. Adora could feel the vibration of her purrs against her chest, something that never failed to make her smile. They hadn’t spent carefree time alone together, able to just lay there and have an angst-free moment, since Catra slept at the bottom of Adora’s bed and the two of them whispered all night. Catra felt the rise and fall of Adora’s chest, her breathing like a bible. Her lips looked so soft, and were even softer to kiss. Catra would know- it was her favorite thing to do. She loved her, everything about her.

Adora’s eyes flickered closed, and she would have dozed off if Catra hadn’t perked up, leaping off her girlfriend and back to her spot on the blanket. “Hey dork, isn’t the whole point of these picnic things, I don’t know, the whole eating part? Come on, I’m starving!”

Adora nodded, “You’re the boss.” 

-

“You know, I’m pretty impressed you managed to make this all on your own,” Catra remarked in the middle of the meal. Bow had told her that most first dates usually included introductory ice-breakers: favorite books, what growing up was like, that sort of stuff. But Catra hated reading and they knew everything about each other, so the two had begun recalling old, humorous stories they starred in, pretending the bad years never happened. Once those few memories had been reminisced on, Adora had told her about the princesses doing their princess things- something Catra was still adjusting to receiving positively- and she told Adora about how a little birdie in the Crimson Waste had told her Kyle and Rogelio  _ finally _ made it. Adora grinned like a proud mother upon hearing the news, even if everyone knew it was bound to happen. “Never took you for a culinary type. Then again, you’ve never failed to surprise me.”

Adora hesitated to answer, eventually admitting, “Well... Entrapta helped arrange the cheese platter. Hence why they’re so small. Turns out knives  _ aren’t _ my thing. I thought they’d be like tiny swords, but I was  _ gravely _ mistaken. You got to be  _ way  _ more careful with knives.”

“Duh, I saw that one coming from a mile away. I kinda lived with Entrapta, you know.” Catra’s black, glossy claws shot out, one of them puncturing a block of cheese. She brought it up closer to her face, inspecting it. Definitely Entrapta. “I recognized it before you even had the chance to confess.”

Adora laughed, adding, “Oh, and Scorpia helped bake the cupcakes and bread. It turns out I’m really,  _ really _ clueless in the kitchen, and she sort of had to tell me what flour was.”

“Really? I totally believe it. Especially the part where you suck at baking,” Catra took a bite of the bread, murmuring, “Damn, if I knew Scorpia could bake like this-”

“She just helped, and I do  _ not  _ suck! In fact, I did most of it.” Adora corrected, sitting straight up proudly. Her expression quickly shifted, looking rather surprised to hear Catra burst into laughter. She tilted her head, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion as to ask  _ what’s so funny?  _

“You did most of it,” Catra repeated once her laughter had died down, muttering the next sentence under her breath, “Once you found out what flour was. But I digress, if I knew, I would have found a way out of those ration bars way sooner.”

“Oh God, those were so nasty,” Adora wrinkled her nose at the memory. On lucky days, they’d race each other into the cafeteria to snag the last of the grey kind. That was their favorite, on account of them not tasting like anything. As long as you didn’t take too long chewing, and as long as you had never eaten real food before. “How did we ever stomach that crap?”

Catra shrugged, popping a grape into her mouth. She had been taking a liking to regular food, especially fruits. And to think she had once thought ration bars were even remotely okay-tasting. “No clue, but I am  _ never _ going back to that lifestyle ever again.”

Adora paused, the lifestyle suddenly flooding back to her. All of it. There were good moments, and they had laughed about them, their giggles just as childlike as the ones that consumed the halls of the Horde in their youth, back when the two girls chased and laughed their days away. But the bad moments weighed out those scarce highlights, and without having to say a word, they both knew the two of them still thought about those moments too many times to be healthy, shivering when the place’s name was uttered. Catra still needed to be held during thunderstorms, and while she insisted it was just cat instinct, a look in her eye during all that writhing and shrieking- not to mention scratching, as the thin, pink marks on Adora’s shoulders and chin could tell stories- was far too familiar to the expression she carried during punishments in the Horde. Catra didn’t like talking about it, and so Adora could only imagine what had happened when she wasn’t there to protect her. What had happened when she was with Horde Prime.

She met Catra’s eyes. The only thing she could find in those captivating, multicolored irises of hers was a gleam- she had no idea what she had said. She had no idea it was far from the casual remark she intended it to be. Because she was right, she would never have to go back to living like that. Neither Adora nor her Catra would endure another bad moment, or at least, another bad moment that could compare those they had experienced in those past three years. They weren’t there anymore, and they would never be back there. They were sitting in the woods, laughing and talking over fruit and bread. And all Adora could do was smile, draping her arm around the smaller girl as she promised, “Yeah. We won’t.”

“Well duh, dork, I kinda like it here.” Catra looked up at her, feeling her face flush bright red, despite her nonchalant, scoffing tone. “I kinda like being here with you.”

“I kinda like being here with you too,” Adora leaned over to kiss her, one hand on the ground to hold her balance, the other entangled in Catra’s hair, charmingly unkempt as always. It was a bit longer, maybe an inch, than when it was cut. Choppy bangs framed her face, her untameable locks of hickory brown finally forming a disheveled bob of sorts. She had even tried to brush it out that morning- it looked less mane-like than usual. It suited her. Her hair wasn’t the only difference regarding her appearance. Nowadays, she was always smiling, even if it was that teasing smirk of hers. There was no anger in her eyes, maybe irritation or the playful, snarky nature she seemed to always carry, but never true anger. It was a nice change.

Catra, her lips stained pink from all those strawberries, giggled, “Ugh. You are  _ such _ a sap.”

“Why thank you, Sweetheart. You know I try my hardest.” Adora noticed the empty dishes, her gaze then turning to her girl, “Well, we should be going.”

“I’m in no rush,” she purred, pulling Adora closer to her. Her scent came over her, a familiar bouquet of vanilla and lavender. For a minute, Catra lost track of time. They could have been sitting there in one another’s arms, foreheads just barely touching, for hours. She wouldn’t have cared. All that she cared about was this girl, this marvelous girl before her. This girl that she got to hold- this girl that held her back, her embrace warm and tender. She really was lucky.

Finally, Catra whispered, a smirk tugging on her lips, “Well? You gonna kiss me, princess?”

And she did. A comfortable position was soon discovered in Adora’s lap, Catra’s fingers swimming in the blonde sea of her hair. She felt two arms- strong, but possessing an adoring nature only her lover could have- holding her like she’d never let her leave. She wouldn’t want to, anyways. In Adora’s arms, Catra felt safe. She felt loved. And she loved Adora like nothing she had ever loved before.

As all good things do, the kiss finally came to an end, three-word whispers being exchanged in the quiet aftermath. There was nothing needed to say after that. Catra loved Adora, and Adora loved Catra. Sometimes life is just that divinely simple. All that was left to do was savor the moment. Adora’s grasp loosened and Catra slowly pulled away, the two sitting side by side, just enjoying the tranquility of silence. Adora’s hand met Catra’s, who took that as an invitation to slip her fingers between Adora’s. It was. They both smiled, knowing this was exactly where they were supposed to be.

  
Catra’s head fell to Adora’s shoulder, her eyes darting from butterfly to butterfly before rising to encounter Adora’s gaze, smiling and blue. She was purring like a kitten who naively found everything  _ so _ amazing and  _ so _ beautiful, but she didn’t care. Everything  _ was _ so beautiful, everything was beyond her most picturesque dreams. It didn’t matter if her hair was an absolute mess or if she let the time slip between her fingers, it didn’t matter if they came home late. She had the sun’s warmth kissing her face, and she had an embrace to call home. Most importantly, she had her Adora. And she was alone with her Adora, sharing an intoxicatingly blissful moment. That was all that mattered.


End file.
